Phl envoy to US denies inaction on oil rig blast

MANILA, Philippines - Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. denied yesterday allegations that the Philippine embassy had failed to look into the plight of Filipino oil workers that a Louisiana-based firm had allegedly abused.

“While we welcome their sudden interest and belated expression of concern for Filipino offshore oil workers in the Gulf of Mexico, Philippine Forum and other so-called solidarity groups should have first done their homework and get their facts straight before accusing us of indifference,” he said.

“This is an unfair assertion coming from a group that claims to represent the interests of our offshore oil workers. We have no problems with Philippine Forum if it wants to publicize its involvement in this issue, but it should not do this at the expense of the Philippine government.”

The New York-based Philippine Forum had accused the embassy of inaction in the case of Filipino workers that Grand Isle Shipyard Inc. had contracted.

Cuisia said embassy officials met with eight Filipino offshore oil workers prior to the filing in a Louisiana court by Filipino-American lawyer Ellaine Carr of a class action suit against Grand Isle.

The embassy was aware of the workers’ problems as early as 2010, he added.

Cuisia said the embassy through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office under Labor Attaché Luzviminda Padilla remains in contact with Carr regarding the first lawsuit, he added.

The embassy has offered to help file a complaint for labor standards violations before the US Department of Labor, he added.

Cuisia said the embassy immediately extended assistance to victims of the Nov. 16 fire in an offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico and their families.

“Up to now, the embassy has not received a single call or email from any of the workers,” he said.

He had met twice with Filipino workers in Louisiana in November and assured them of assistance should they have any complaints against Grand Isle, he added.

Cuisia said the embassy also demanded an apology from Black Elk Energy Inc., owner of the ill-fated platform, for insinuating that the Nov. 16 accident was a result of the incompetence of the Filipino workers.

It was the embassy and the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago that requested the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to investigate possible safety violations in connection with the incident, he added.